This is not true. While it’s possible for children as young as infants to learn to swim, the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends waiting until age one before starting swimming lessons. Previously, the AAP advised holding off on swimming lessons until age four, but new research showed that children aged one through four who had taken swimming lessons had a reduced risk of drowning. Knowing how to swim is an important skill that can benefit children throughout their lives, so consider swimming lessons as soon as your child is ready. (Parent-child water play classes are safe for children under one and can help your child get accustomed to the water; but these are different from actual swimming lessons.)